GIS AND LIVESTOCK FIELD SURVEY AS TOOLS TO MANAGE THE POTENTIAL REDUCING OF FUEL LOAD FOR FIRE PREVE
GIS system and livestock field survey as tools to manage the potential reducing of fuel load for fire prevention
PROGETTO ZOOCOSM - Resp. Scientifico Carlo COSENTINO
ABSTRACT - This study would mark the potential role of grazing by Podolian cattle for reducing fuel load of fire prevention and propagation. The interconnection of Geographic Information System (GIS) and livestock field survey allowed to monitor different grazing and nograzing areas in Basilicata region. Fifteen grazing areas were monitored for five years during the summer pasture, when the Podolian cattle graze on green grazing areas. These areas were monitored by using GIS system and GPS application. The potential impact of Podolian cattle was monitored for the same time period. The cattle consistency allowed to calculate different parameters: livestock unit, dry matter intake and stocking estimation of potential amount of dry matter intake to understand the removal biomass in order to reduce the fuel load for fire prevention. The spatial analysis (GIS) showed that there were only four grazing areas burned during the time sampling, compared to the surrounding areas used as control (no-grazing area). Therefore an efficient management of grazing by Podolian cattle could be an important tool to prevent the fire propagation.
Keywords: GIS, livestock management, biomass removal, fire prevention
Giovanni Pecora, Mauro Musto, Carmine D’Adamo, Francesco Adduci, Pierangelo Freschi , Carlo Cosentino (2015). GIS system and livestock field survey as tools to manage the potential reducing of fuel load for fire prevention. Journal of Agricultural Informatics 6,3:57-66
http://journal.magisz.org/index.php/jai/article/view/195